Statement about the BIPoC Lounge and Service Centres

The University of Winnipeg Student’s Association (UWSA) is committed to diversity and inclusion. Toward that goal, the UWSA has for many years helped to support the development of communal spaces on campus aimed toward providing a safe and inclusive place for students and groups who have historically been excluded from full participation in the broader community, owing to any particular characteristic such as ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, etc. The UWSA is certainly not unique in that regard, as similar facilities exist in virtually every university across Canada, and have done for decades. At the University of Winnipeg, these spaces would include the Rainbow Lounge for the 2SLGBTQ+ students, Access Lounge for students who are disabled by barriers, Women-Trans Spectrum Lounge for the women and trans students, and the BIPoC Lounge for the Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour students.

Importantly, these spaces are not intended to exclude. On the contrary, these spaces are intended to allow students who might otherwise feel marginalized in the broader campus to find a welcoming space within which to find support, community, and safety – in short, a place to let their guard down and to engage with others who might be similarly marginalized. They have organized activities in these spaces that include movie nights, study nights, workshops, round tables, and bigger celebratory events for their specific community.

As the UWSA we are proud to continually support our service centres and provide spaces where diverse communities can support each other. We remain committed to ensuring that its policies reflect an appropriate balance between fostering community and safety, while ensuring compliance with human rights legislation.